NC sheriff seeks trade: Old Tommy guns for rifles

WINSTON-SALEM, NC (AP) -- A North Carolina sheriff could get the OK to trade a pair of vintage Tommy guns for dozens of new rifles for his deputies.

The Forsyth County commissioners vote Monday on trading the fully automatic Thompson machine guns for 88 new Bushmaster rifles valued at $60,000.

The machine guns seen in gangster movies can't be used, but sheriff's department officials say the trade will help reach a goal of equipping every deputy with a rifle, pistol and a Taser.

The sheriff's office sought bids from 23 federal firearms dealers before settling on the offer from Craig's Firearm Supply Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn. Company executive Wally Johnson declined to say what the dealer planned to do with the Tommy guns, saying no deal has been completed.

(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Disclaimer: Comments posted on this, or any story are opinions of those people posting them, and not the views or opinions
of WWAY NewsChannel 3, its management or employees. You can view our comment policy here.